News-in-brief from Draycott-In-The-Moors & District in late January 2022
In this post we have news of…: changes to village roundabout plans? / dazzling decor at Arms / local artist’s work / changes at cricket club
For news of a Burns’ Night do, a singer coming to Fulford and other happenings in our area, please go to our What’s On page
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Roundabouts plan to be sidelined?
For a few months now, rumours have been circulating that the plan for two roundabouts – one in the centre of Draycott and one in Cresswell – was about to be dumped. Sure enough, it looks like it could happen.
Way back in 2016, the developers behind the proposed huge expansion of the business park in Cresswell were told by planning officers that they’d need also to fund two roundabouts – to cope with all the extra expected traffic, including the lots more of HGVs. One roundabout would be built in Cresswell (where the lay-by is now) and one in the centre of Draycott (at the bottom of Church Lane).
They would be complicated to build, and expensive, but the council’s planners believe they are necessary.
Well, eight years later (!), the developers have put forward their alternative plan: no roundabouts.
Instead, the new propositions can be summed up like this: Cresswell would get just an extra, turning traffic-lane added (like the set-up at the T-junction at the top of Cresswell Lane), while the Draycott-centre junction would just be controlled by traffic lights.

(By the way, the houses you see to the right of Sandon Road in this diagram haven’t actually been built yet – just in case you were wondering!)
Some residents will definitely welcome this: the roundabouts would have created permanent disruption for around a dozen households.
However, the problem is obvious: the new plan has the potential to create snarl-ups and backed-up traffic, both on Sandon Road and on Draycott level. It all depends on whether the planning officers accept the developers’ (new) traffic-flow assessments.
This planning application is now before Staffs Moorlands Council, and all residents have a right to submit a point of view on it. To check out the application, and make a comment – just click here.
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Degg digs in
You can tell winter’s nearly over when cricket clubs start to announce their plans for the coming season.
Blythe Cricket Club (whose ground is in Cresswell) are no different, having just announced who their new captain is to be, and who their main sponsor for 2022 is.
The appointment of Scott Degg as captain is very welcome. Scott is a steady hand, which will be needed in 2022: Blythe had a rocky season last year, and only just escaped relegation from the NSSCL Division One.

The 2022 sponsor for the club is Thermograde, a chemicals company based in Stone.
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Dazzling décor
Valentines is in the air, and Zara & Brayn at the Draycott Arms are encouraging sweethearts of all ages to think about a hearts&roses night (or two) at the ‘Inn In The Moors’ – the holiday flat which now has pride of place on the upstairs floor of the Arms.
New photos that have been released show what a special set of rooms the ‘Inn’ accommodation contains. Some amazing murals and an extremely stylish approach to interior design mark it all out as something the old Arms has never ever seen before!

Roll on Valentines…
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Artist in residence
It’s a strange thing but many of us here in Draycott & District hadn’t heard of John Bullock’s paintings until he exhibited at the Artists Collective Show in Shropshire last autumn.
John lives in the village, and, even though he didn’t start painting until he was 65, now sells his work to collectors from as far away as Germany.
Though his big thing is landscapes, he does do commissions, and his picture of Grange Farm (the farm on Cheadle Road just up from the Arms pub) was one such commission.

You can check out John’s work (and commission something from him if you like!), by accessing his Facebook page.
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